REEF2REEF Saltwater and Reef Aquarium Forum

I found myself in the position to compare these pumps directly, and thought I'd share my findings...

First, the facts:

Pump Type: Both are DC pumps (36V) with adjustable flow rate. The M1 has 12 visible indicators for pump speed, but appears to be even more fine-grained than that in adjustability (if that's a word). The VarioS is also adjustable, but has 5 settings.

Price: Right now (2017-05-18) the VarioS goes for $285 and the M1 goes for $349 on most of the major sites.

Features:

Feed Mode: Both have feed mode. 10 mins for the M1, and you choose 15 or 60 mins for the VarioS

Accessories: The VarioS comes with a strainer, fittings for 1.25" pipe (in and out), barbed outlet fitting for 1" and 1.25" tubing, a float switch with holder that connects to the controller to shut down in low water. The M1 comes with the fittings to connect to 3/4" hard pipe out, and I think 1" in.

Other: The M1 is considerably more configurable. It allows you to "calibrate" the controller to limit the top speed to ensure you don't over power your tank. It has return pump mode vs closed loop mode. And in closed loop mode you can choose between different flow patterns like "Lagoonal", "Reef Crest" and "Gyre".

Controller Compatible: The VarioS works with the Apex (and other controllers) that support the 0-10v control signals. The M1 works with Ecotech's EcoSmart Live site if you have a Reef Link.

So, all that you could have figured out for yourself with a bit of googling
Here's my experience/opinion...
For context, I was in the hobby for about 6 yrs from 2001-2007, and we're just getting back into it now with a RedSea Reefer 425XL. The Reefer is currently cycled with sand, rock, and a CUC in it. Fish are coming soon.

They both claim to be silent, or nearly silent. And for me, this is a key feature as our RedSea Reefer 425xl is in my living room. Its why I ended up testing both pumps. I started with the M1 and I struggled (and failed) to get it to run as silently as I'd hoped. I worked extensively with Ecotech, but ultimately wasn't happy, so I tried the VarioS. You can see the thread on my M1/Ecotech experience here. Long story short, I found that in my setup the VarioS is quieter than the M1. You can listen to the M1 here, and the VarioS here. Neither one is "silent". But the VarioS is not only quieter, the pitch of the noise is lower, which to me is less noticeable and less annoying. FWIW, these videos were taking with the same phone, on the same tank/plumbing with identical flow (according to my overflow hight, which is pretty sensitive on the RSR's). I did have to run the VarioS at full speed, while the M1 was at 75%. But for me, the VarioS wins here.

For power (ability to move the most water), the M1 wins. As I said above, the VarioS at 100% was about the same through my manifold and return as the M1 at 75%. I was never able to run the M1 at 100% on my tank longterm as it was just too much for the sand and the overflow.

Build quality. This is tougher. From a component quality standpoint, the M1 certainly "feels" like it uses better quality parts. The controller is a metal case with a heat sink on the back, so it has some heft to it. The VarioS controller is a light plastic box. The M1 pump uses nice bolts (stainless, I assume) to hold the volute on the pump body, while the VarioS simply twists apart. Although for maintenance, the VarioS would be easier/quicker to get apart and clean. The magnets and shafts are very similar between the two, but the M1 has a considerably larger impeller.
I will say, I ended up trying 3 different M1's. And one of them sounded horrible right out of the box. I took it apart and cleaned it, then it ran the same as the others. But each time I contacted customer support (again, see this thread for all the details) they basically didn't want to hear anything until I took the pump apart and cleaned it. It felt like it was pretty common to have debris in the pump from the factory.
I can't speak to the longevity of these pumps. I ran the M1 for a few weeks, and the VarioS, now, for a few hours. And while the weight of the M1 components feels like they'd last longer, I saw no real difference in the moving part (shaft, impeller, pump housing).

Customer support. I can't speak to the support for the VarioS as I haven't used it. Ecotech started very strong, and sent me 2 other pumps to try (after getting my credit card number in case I didn't return the problem pump, but that's fair). But then it appears they got frustrated with my issues and got less responsive.

My conclusion... both the pumps have their strengths and weaknesses. The M1 controller is more fine grained for pump speed, and has flow patterns if you're not using it in return mode. The VarioS comes with a bunch of things you have to pay extra for with the M1 (strainer, barb fitting, float switch+holder). The VarioS is more open/compatible with controllers such as the Apex. In my experience the VarioS is quieter. And, of course, the VarioS is about $65 cheaper ($75 cheaper if you need a strainer and/or barb fitting).
So, it all depends one what you need and what you value. If money is an issue, you want to control the speed with your Apex, and/or you value a silent pump, then the VarioS is a solid choice. If you need a LOT of flow, flow patterns in a closed loop, or fine grained control, the M1 is a strong pump.

I run a VarioS4 , a VarioS2 for my REGAL protein skimmer and they are awesome pumps, THERE is no doubt about it and for the price ya can't beat it... There was a person on here that did an experiment with a VarioS8 vs an EcoTech Vectra M1 and for a 9 month period he ran both the VarioS at 75% and the EcoTech Vectra @ 75% and just after the 9th month period, the the Reef Ocoto VarioS had lost some of its gph vs the Vectra pump that did not lose any of its power. It was measured through #Neptunes FMK Monitoring kit and it clearly it showed that the VarioS return pump had lost some of its gph which was very interesting over the 9 months.. I have always ran 1 EoTech M1 for a return pump which these pumps are supper awesome pumps but you must maintain them and soak them in Citric Acid to remove any sort of calcium build ups every 3 or 4 months or the motor will start to swell on ya like it did me and I had to return mine in since I never took the time to clean it and after about the 10 month is ceased up on me due to the calcium deposits. Now, I clean all of my pumps every 4th month and let them soak overnight in my BRS Citric Acid. If you maintain them they will last for a long time, thats a (FACT).. Instead of going with the new Reef Octo Pulse pumps I instead went with 2 EcoTec MP40QWD on each side of my SCA Rimless 150 build and 2 NanoStreams TUNZE 6055's that will be mounted on the back of my 150, so there will be no dead spots in the tank since I will be going with a minimal scape.